There have been previous attempts in the prior art to provide a ground plane for EMI filters assembled within an electrical connector. One early assembly technique involved soldering each filter to the ground plane, a technique which was laborious, time consuming and adding to the weight and bulk of a connector. Another technique took a ground plane from a thin foil having resilient spring properties. The foil was provided with integral tines which radially gripped the EMI filters. Such a technique eliminated assembly time and the need to additional fastenting techniques for the filters. However ground faults were experienced due to uneven gripping pressure of the foil against corresponding filters. In addition the tines were easily damaged or permanently bent by insertion and retraction of the filters from the ground plane.